Multiple, parallel-connected meter mounting



Aug. 14, 1951 J. L. FORD ET AL 2,564,.428

MULTIPLE,PARALLEL-CONNECTED METER MOUNTING Filed Aug. 20, 1949 Patented Aug. 14, 1951l MULTIPLE, PARALLEL- CONNECTED METER MOUNTING John L. Ford and Wilbur E. Ford, Wabash, Ind., and Richard V. Ford, Haddoneld, N. J., as'- signors to The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc., Wabash, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application August 20, 1949, serial No. 111,434

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to a multiple,

'parallel-connected meter mounting, and the primary object of the invention is to provide for an advantageous arrangement of fluid metering devices in a service line subject to wide variations vof ow rates.

Fluid metering devices, and particularly water meters of standard construction, are quite accurate within a median range between minimum flow rate and maximum capacity flow rate; but

that accuracy falls off slightly at the upper end, and sharply at the lower end, of the capacity range of the'meter. Such meters are, of course, made in a variety of sizes, each size being well adapted to measure total volume of water passed, so long as the flow rate, during any period of operation, is within the median range of that meter. Perhaps the most popular meter size is designated as a one-inch meter, which is primarily intended for connection in a one-inch service line; and such a meter is capable of measuring, with satisfactory accuracy, water volumes passing the meter at very Aslow rates. In many industrial installations, and in some oflice buildings and apartment buildings, the water is metered as it enters the building, and two-inch supply lines are required for satisfactory service. Obviously, the maximum capacity of a one-inch meter is not suiiicient to handle maximum flows of water supplied through a two-inch line; and it is customary to use a two-inch meter in such an installation. When, however, only one faucet in the entire building, for instance, is opened, the resultant flow rate through such a two-inch meter may xfrequently be below the range of reasonable accuracy, so that the meter may be actuated at a rate too *slow to indicate the actual volume of water flowing therethrough, or may not be actuated at all. y

It is an object of the present invention to provide a metering arrangement which, while offering a sufficient capacity to measure accurately maximum flow through a two-inch line, nevertheless will so accommodate itself to a low flow rate as to measure the volume of water passing the installation at a rate below the accurate range of a two-inch meter. A further object of the invention is to provide novel structure to facilitate the installation of such a metering 'arrangement, and to facilitate removal of one or more meters from such an arrangement, for servicing or replacement, without interrupting water service through the installation. Still further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, our invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention beii; called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrativeonly, and that change may be made in the specic construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. l is a perspective view of our meter mounting, meters being indicated, in dotted lines, in their intended installation relationship;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through one of the mounting iittings; and A Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through one form'of 'check valve means which may be used in our meter mounting.

It is known that the maximum capacity of three one-inch meters connected in parallel, is substantially equivalent tothe maximum capacity of a single two-inch meter. While it will be obvious that our-'invention is applicable to meters of any desired size, we have shown, and will describe in detail, a mounting particularly adapted for an installation comprising three one-inch meters. Obviously, by readily apparent structural modifications, more than three, or less than three, meters might be installed in parallel arrangement, and it is not inescapably essential that all of the meters in the installation shall be of the same size or type. Though only one physical embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and will be described herein, it is our intention to include such obvious structural modications within the scope of the present disclosure and the claims appended hereto and forming a part hereof.

Our meter mounting, indicated generally by the reference numeral" I0, is adapted to be connected between spaced, axially aligned sections II and I2 of a water supply line, or the like. Customarily, particularly in lines of two-inch diameter'or larger, the facing ends of the sections Il and I2 are providedwith connector flanges Il and I2', and we 'have so illustrated the present installation, though it will be obvious that any other suitable means for connecting the mounting into thel line may be substituted. The mounting I0 is intended to support, and to provide communication through, three meters of conventional form, indicated at I3, I4 and I5.

The mountingcomprises a fitting I6 formed to provide a longitudinally extending chamber I1 openingthrough 'a connector flange I8 adapted meter I4.

to be suitably engaged with the flange II' to` place the chamber into open communication with the interior of the section I I in which water pressure is maintained. Three branches, angular-ly related, and radiating from the axis of the chamber I'I,.. open. from. said chamber., the. median branch. I'9. preferably having; yits' axis vertically arranged, and the two lateral branches 29 and 2I lsymmetrically diverging oppositely from the.

branch I9.

A companion tting 2:2 is= formed with acharnber similar to the chamber I'I opening throughthe flange 23 adapted to be clampedto-the. ida-nge I 2 of the section I2 leading to a pointe of use; and branches 24, 25 and 2.6 correspond, res-pectively, to branches I9, 29 and 2.1: previously diescribed, the fittings I6 and 2.2 being allochirally. arranged.

An extension 2'I on the tting I6 deies-az Cy.- lindrical socket internally threaded as at 23;

and. the tting 22 islprovidedawith. asimilar ange 29 defining. a. similar. socket.. A.. bar or. tube 30 isthreaded atits.. oppostaends, as at 3.I. and. 32, for threaded; engagement.. in. the sockets. of the iittings I6 and. 22....respectively.. Preferably, the if.

threading. inthe sockets of therespectiveiittings will be of opposite. hand, asivillebe the til-readings 3| and 32 at opposite ends. of. the. bar 39, so. that rotationv of the bar. Suiwill; draw the. fittings I6 and 22. toward each.. othen, or will force them apart. In..` some' installations... the: fitting. I6V will be providedl witha crescent-shaped. base 33, and a similar base 34 will be provided for the tting 22,`r said: bases being. secured. to their fittings` by machine screws 35, or the like. Whensuch bases .Y i

are provided, iti will; be alpparentthatthettings may be most readily* adjusted toward and. away from each other by rotation of, the bar 3l)l in one directionor thefother...

' Conduit means. 3&.has its'. lower end. 31 suit.- abl-y secured; in communication with the. branch i9 of the tting I6.; andat-its upper end, is. prosvided.- with connector meansfwhoseaxis is substantially parallel-.With that ot'the chamber Il, for supporting engagementwith the. inlet Spud 390i a conventional meter. I3.4 Preferably., a stop valve, indicated ass aconventional angle cock. 49, is interposed. inthe. conduit means 361. Prefer,- ably, but not. necessarily,the major. portion of the'conduit. means36 will comprise a copperV tube, Whose: lowerV end isz soldered. or brazed in the branch I9', and Whose upper end is.v flared into sealed relation with.. connector mea-ns associated Withthe valvea:

Similar: conduit. means. 4d, comprising connecttor means. 42 adaptedsupportingly izo-engage` the outlet Spud 43. ofthe meter I 3., and a valve 44 similar to the valve 40, is associated similarly with the branch 24 oi the fitti-ng; 22.. It. Will be seen that, in this manner.; the meter I.3 isconnected inthe iiovv. line betweenthez pipeV sections I.I and |12..

Conduitmeans 45 hasrone end associated with the branch 20v of Itheiitting. I6, and is provided at its. other endwith. connector means. 46 adapted supportingly to. engage the inlet spud 41 of a A stopl valve 48, similar tothe valve 40;. is installed the conduit means. 45; and a checkvalve tting has. its inlet end-.supported in communication with. the valve 49' by connector means 49, anddirectly carries, at its outlet end, the connector meansI 4.6. Details of Ithe .check valve itting 55. will be described hereinafter.

Conduit `meansil Y has one. endsupportedinthe branch 25 of the fitting 22 and is provided at its opposite end with connector means 52 adapted supportingly `to engage the outlet spud 53 of the meter I4, a stop valve 54 being disposed in the conduit means 5I. Thus, the meter I4 is like- Wise. connected in the flow line. between. the pipe sections IfI; and" I2, in. parallel connection relative to the meter I 3.

Similarly, conduit means 55 is associated with the branch 2I and terminates in a connector 56 whose axisis substantially parallel with that of the' chamber I'I, for supporting engagement with the inlet. Spud 51. of the meter I5. A stop valve 58v is disposedA in the conduit means 55, and a checkv valve tting: 69 has its inlet end connected in communication with the valve 58 by connector means 5.9, and supports, at its outlet end, the connector means 56. Conduit means 6I has one* end supported in the branch 26 and carries connector means 62 atits opposite end for supporting, engagement with-the outlet. Spud 63 of the. meter, I5; a stopA valve 64.` being, disposed. in theconduit means I'...

The arrangement issnch. that the axes. of.vv the connectors, 38 46 and. 5.6.v arey all. substantially parallel with rthat of the chamber Llei the fit.- ting, IB.. and.` the axes of. the connectors. 42,. 52 and 62 are allsubstantially parallel.. with that.. of the. chamber formed in. the. tting. 22.; and that, when the. sockets of the. I6. and. 22.r are axially aligned. and the. fittingsv I6. and. 22. are properly oriented, as by. means ofthe bases. 33 and. 3.4, the connectors-385 and 42 wlllbe: aligned, the-v connectors 46. and Y52 will bealigned, andthe connectorsf and. 62`.will.be aligned. Any incl.:- dental rnisalignmentt oi.. these connector. pairs-is readily rec'tifiable through. the-inherent. exibility of. the copper tubing, preferably1 incorporatedin theseveralconci-uit means...

The. fitting.. 59. is shown` in sectional. detaiL in Eig.. 4.. Saidtting comprises. a housing, tormed to provide. a oxvpassage. in which. isinterposed a valve seat. 65... A spider. Beisarranged in'ad.- vanceoi. thevalve seat,.and. a valve 6J mount..- ed. for cooperative... engagement with. the. seat. 65. InY the illustrated embodiment.` of: the.- invention, the. valve 61. is axially. slidable upon. astem. 6.8 Whichpenetrates an. opening. 69. inthe spider. 6.6, the end of saidstembeing threaded asatlll-ior thevv recepltionof. a loclc nut. I;I,v and.- theopening 69. preferably being. threaded... Atitsend remote iromthespider 6.6,. thestern 68 is. provided. with ahead lI..betv1eenwhich andthe valve STI-iscon- 'neda coiledspring. 'L3 continuouslyurging the valveJ 6.1. intoV closing. engagement With: the seat 65, and. resiliently resisting. vmovement of.. said valve away fromsaid. seat undenthe. inuence of Water. pressure entering f romtheleft as-zviewed in Fig. 4. The effective power of the spring 1.3 is, o course,. adjustable'r as,. forinstance, by threading the stem- 68. moref or less. deeply. into. the openingS oithespider 66;.

The unit. isin all respects comparable. toy the unit 50. In practice,.the.settings of the springs in the. unitsr 5I) and. 6.9. will.. differ by several pounds.. so that one of said. unitsY will open. to permit. iiow. therethrough under predetermined demand conditions, While theother unit. will not open exceptunder higher demandy conditions..

It. willbe noted thattheconduit. means. 36 is not provided with, a. check valve. unit.

With the. installation completa, as suggestedy by the solid lines anddotted lines in Fig. 1 water will flow freely through.. the.. branch. I9., conduit means 36, meter I3, conduit mea-ns Maandbranch 24, between the sections II and I2, whenever'any flow demand exists; and, since the meter I3 is a relatively small-capacity meter, even water flows at very low rates will be accurately measured. When the flow demand approaches the capacity of the meter I3 for accurate measurement, the valve 6l in the unit 5U will be moved off its seat to permit a part of the flow required to satisfy that demand to` pass, in parallel, through the branch 20, conduit means 45, meter I4, conduit means 5I, and branch 25. If ilow demand approaches the aggregate maximum capacity of the meters I3 and I4, the more heavily loaded valve of the unit B will open to permit a part of the water demanded to now through the branch 2|, conduit means 55, meter I5, conduit means 6I, and branch 26.

When flow demand begins to drop from such a maximum, the valve in the tting 60 will close as soon as the total flow volume comes within the capacity of the two meters I3 and I4; and the Valve in the fitting 50 will close as soon as the total flow demand comes within the accurate capacity of a single meter I3. Thus, by the means herein illustrated and described, we have provided automatically acting means for accurately measuring iiows at widely varying rates which could not be accurately measured by a single meter.

If any one of the meters requires removal for replacement or servicing, the stop valves, for instance 58 and 64, will be closed, the connectors 5B and 62 will be backed off the spuds 51 and 63, and the meter I5 can thereupon be removed from the installation, without in any way affecting the operation of the meters I3 and I4. When the meter I5 is reinstalled after servicing, or when a substitute meter is replaced, and the valves 58 and 64 are reopened, the installation will thereafter continue to function in the manner above described.

It will be seen that the copper tubes in the conduit means 45, 5I, 55 and 6I are bent to provide offsets to accommodate the units 50 and 60. Obviously, a suflicient offset could, if desired, be provided in the conduit means 45 and 55, rendering offsetting of the conduit means 5I and 6I unnecessary; or vice versa. The particular angular relationship between the branches 2D and 2I and the branch I9 is believed to be optimum for the accommodation of conventional meters withf out interference, but other angular relationships may be adopted, if desired.

We claim as our invention:

1. A meter mounting comprising a pair of ttings, each formed at one end for connection in a fluid supply line and each provided with a plurality of angularly-related radiating branches, conduit means for each of said branches, each conduit means of each tting being provided with connector means spacedly aligned with the-connector means of the corresponding conduit means of the other iitting, each pair of aligned connector means being adapted to have the spuds of a meter connected to and supported thereby` 2. The meter mounting of claim 1 including check-valve means disposed in certain of said conduit means for controlling iluid now therethrough.

3. The meter mounting of claim 2 including means resiliently resisting opening movement of said valves, the resisting means for each valve having a power diiferent from the resisting means for each other valve.

4. The meter mounting of claim 3 including a sisting means for each check valve means having a power different from the resisting means for each other check vvalve means, and a stop valve disposed in each of said conduit means.

6. The meter mounting of claim l including check-valve means' disposed in certain of said conduit means for controlling uid flow therethrough, and a stop valve disposed in each conduit means of one fitting. l 7. The meter mounting of claim 6 including a stop valve disposed in each conduit means of the other tting.

8. The meter mounting of claim 1 in which each tting is provided with threaded means, said threaded means of said two ttings being aligned when said connector means are` aligned, and means threadedly engaging both of said threaded means to control the relative positions of said fittings.

9. The meter mounting of claim l in which each fitting is provided with an internally threaded, blind socket, said sockets of said two fittings being aligned when said connector means are aligned, and a bar, threaded at its opposite ends, and threadedly engaged in both of said sockets to control the relative positions of said ttings.

10. The meter mounting of claim 9 in which the threads of said sockets are respectively of opposite hand, and the threads at opposite ends of said bar are similarly of opposite hand.

l1. A tting for use in a multiple meter mount comprising an element formed to provide a chamber opening through one end of said element, and formed, at said end, for connection to a fluid supply line, said element further being provided with a plurality of angularly-related branches radiating from said chamber, conduit means connected to each of said branches, each conduit means terminating in connector means Whose axis is substantially parallel with that of said chamber, and flow-controlling means disposed in certain of said conduit means and acting to prevent fluid now therepast at pressures below predetermined values, but to permit fluid flow therepast whenever pressures impressed thereon exceed such predetermined values.

l2. The tting of claim l1 in which each flow-controlling means responds to a pressure different from that to which each other nowcontrolling means responds.

13. The fitting of claim 12 including a stop valve connected in each conduit means.

14. The ttlng of claim ll including a stop valve connected in each conduit means.

15. A fitting for use in a multiple meter mount comprising an element formed to provide a chamber opening through one end of said element, and formed, at said end, for connection to a fluid supply line, said element further being provided with three angularly-related branches radiating therefrom, a conduit connected to the medianone of said branches and terminating in a connector means, a second conduit connected to one of the lateral branches and terminating in a connector means, a check Valve disposed in said second conduit and capable of passage-opening movement toward said last-named connector means, spring. means' resisting suchv movement, a third conduit connected to the other vlateral branch and terminating in ai connector' means, ai check valve:- disposed in- 'said third conduit and capable of passage-opening movement toward said. last-named connector means, and. further spring: means" resisting such movement, they resistant power` of said further spring irneams ex.- ceeding that of said first-named spring means.

16. Thettinggof claim 15 including a.- stop v` 0 vaivein each. of saidK conduits.

17. The fitting of claim 16 in which the stop valves in; said laterak conduits are located between said cham-ber air-id.v said` respective check Valves.

18. The mounting of claim 1 including a base for each of saidfttingsf each base having a substantiai extent` in. the direction ofiv length of its 0f lits fitting.

fitting` and-av snbstantal extent beyond eachside JOHN L. FORD. WILBUR E. FORD. RICHARD V'. FORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of thisV patent:

UNI'HJDV STATES PA'I'ENTS 

